GROWL99
06-22-2006, 12:43 PM
This was my third season in the P.I.H.A., and I'd say that it was the most enjoyable one, yet. I think that while the league is still going through some growing pains, which is to be expected, it is certainly on the right path. The talent level is blossoming throughout the entire league. The Typhoon, after losing, yet another great player, in Brian Yingling, still managed to finish a respectable 2nd place in the east, and give a good scare to the Growl in the eastern finals. The Lunatics, who always seem to get great fan support in big games, which I attest to strong promotinal efforts by Jay Mazer & co., were as tough as nails to play against. The Minutemen had some key pickups during the regular season, that should help them for next year and beyond, as long as they're able to hold on to some of their key young players, like Chris Havelock and Justin Guzman, they'll be fun to watch. The Inferno and Phantoms will certainly improve next year, and the Rolling Robbins have a great coaching staff and management team that will look to surround their best player R.K. Kent with new personnel. My team, the Philadelphia Growl, has a G.M., Anthony Flynn that literally started working on next years roster, on the plane ride home from Colorado, after winning our second straight championship. I have a feeling there will be an excellent goalie, who may be a free agent, and perhaps the most individually gifted player in the whole league, too. I'm glad I don't have to figure out how were going to be better next year, if that happens, but then again, that's why Anthony is a great G.M., because he'll think of something, I'm sure. Out west, you have the best player in roller hockey (C.J.Yoder) and a new member of team USA (Brian Yingling) that are in charge of building up the sport in Colorado. I"ll give them a pass on the poor crowds at the championship, along with the lack of T.V. exposure that was sorely missed, especially when game 3 turned out to be an instant classic, because I know that both of those guys are winners in everything they do, and will get the community involved in our sport. I'll give you guys a little constructive advice. Target the little kids, it's them that want to play the game on our level one day, and enjoy watching all the flashy players on the rink. I saw a little kids father buy Johnny Pinehrio's jersey right off his back, and asked him to autograph it !!!. Expansion is what Mr. Yoder visualized, when he started this league, and now it looks like Canada is coming aboard. Congratulations on having the foresight to see this happening. I have a lot of respect for all of the staff and officials of P.I.H.A., and hope that I can hang around long enough to see all of these positive signals come to fruition. Then again, I know if I get any slower out there, my G.M. friend of mine, will turn into the grimm reaper faster than I can say all-in with pocket aces in my hand, and I'll be searching for an expansion team that needs a slow guy that passes okay to play for them...